Raymond L Reinert

US Patent:

45927855, Jun 3, 1986

Filed:

Feb 21, 1985

Appl. No.:

6/702870

Inventors:

Raymond L. Reinert - Louisville KY
Charles D. Kaufman - Louisville KY

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Louisville KY

International Classification:

B08B 704

US Classification:

134 18

Abstract:

A process for automated and improved proteinaceous soil removal in a wash water solution wherein alkali is first added to the wash water solution to bring the pH thereof to slightly below a selected target pH value in the range of 10 to 11 that will be effective to react with and solubilize the proteinaceous soil. To that wash water solution 5 to 50 milligrams of hypohalous halogen per liter of wash water solution and sufficient alkali is added to raise the pH of the wash water solution to the target pH value. The wash water solution is monitored to detect a drop in pH of at least 0. 02 pH units occurring after the addition of the hypohalous halogen. If there is no such drop in pH then the process is terminated. If there is at least a 0. 02 pH units drop in pH then an incremental amount of hypohalous halogen and sufficient alkali are added to the solution to again raise the pH of the water solution to the target pH.

US Patent:

43348815, Jun 15, 1982

Filed:

Jan 9, 1981

Appl. No.:

6/223661

Inventors:

Raymond L. Reinert - Louisville KY
Charles D. Kaufman - Crestwood KY

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Louisville KY

International Classification:

G01N 3318
B08B 310

US Classification:

23230A

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for automatic end-point detection in tripolyphosphate sequestration of hardness are disclosed. A desired approximate 1:1 molar ratio of the hardness elements calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) to sodium tripolyphosphate in a wash water solution is achieved by adding to the wash water solution sodium tripolyphosphate at a preselected rate as the electrical conductivity of the wash water solution is monitored. The desired approximate 1:1 molar ratio of hardness element to sodium tripolyphosphate is obtained, irrespective of variations of concentration levels of hardness elements in the wash water solution or in the soils being removed by the solution, either (a) by detecting the maximum rate of change of conductivity of the wash water solution and terminating the addition of sodium tripolyphosphate when the maximum rate of change of conductivity of the wash water solution is detected or (b) when the pH of the wash solution is to be above 11; by detecting the 5:2 molar ratio of calcium hardness to tripolyphosphate by determining when the conductivity of the wash water solution first increases substantially; then adding 1. 5 times more sodium tripolyphosphate than had been added when conductivity increased substantially to chelate the calcium hardness; and raising the pH to at least 11 to precipitate the magnesium hardness. Apparatus is disclosed for implementing automatically the sequestration method of the present invention in, for example, the home dishwasher environment.